Tag Archives: commitment

Is 2019 the year you’re planning the trip of a lifetime? Whether it’s exploring the world with friends or heading to a dream destination with your other half, there’s no doubt that the prospect of clear blue skies and fresh adventures is hugely enticing as we trudge our way through a dreary grey winter at home. But while the dreams are certainly there, are the funds? Going on your travels can be quite pricey, so making plans and saving up is a must for most of us. If you have the will and the commitment, you can make it happen – here’s how…

It’s all too easy to say to yourself that you’re going to save each payday, only to get to the end of the month and find you don’t have any cash left over to save for your trip. So the best thing to do is set up a separate savings account with a standing order for a set amount to come from the account you get paid into. You can also use an app like Moneybox, which lets you combine regular savings amounts with a feature which rounds up the change and saves it on any card purchase. Automate the process as much as possible to avoid the temptation of dipping into your savings for other reasons.

Make A Budget Plan

If you don’t know exactly how much you’re spending then you can’t make savings. So, coming up with a budget plan is vital. Start by looking at your last bank statement and noting down all of your bill amounts, any credit card payments or joint loans for couples you have. The amount left over is your discretionary spend. Look at areas like unused subscriptions you can cancel, or little spending habits like that weekly takeaway that add up. But remember it’s important not to cut out all the run – you’ll only resent it otherwise and end up breaking your spending plan.

Be Smart About Your Bookings

Shop around to find the best possible deals on everything – flights, accommodation, transfers and food. Look at the time of year you’re planning to travel – some places still have beautiful weather outside of the peak travel season when you’re likely to pick up better deals. With flights, if you choose not to fly direct sometimes you can save big with several smaller operators, or by picking less popular flight times. With your accommodation, investigate whether one of the new boutique hostels could be an option. They have sleek design but cost far less than a hotel.

Remind Yourself Why

Saving involves making little sacrifices quite often and sometimes it can be hard to stay on track. So it’s useful to remind yourself of the bigger picture. Try changing your phone wallpaper or your desktop at work to a picture of your dream destination, or start a Pinterest board of holiday outfits that you can look at whenever you feel discouraged. You’ll be sat on that beach before you know it!

Nothing’s more exciting than moving into your first home with a partner. Whether you’re dating, engaged, or married, this can bring a new dimension to your relationship. Finally, you’ll be able to wake up to that dreamy face every morning. You’ll be able to rest easy that the love of your life will come through that door every night.For these reasons, it’s easy to get carried away the moment discussions about living together start. You may feel so desperate to have him close that you go straight online to look at houses. Within weeks, you’re signing a contract and accepting the keys.Urgency like this is understandable, but it doesn’t always work out. If you don’t discuss particular things before agreeing on a place, the mask could soon start to slip, and you might not like what you see underneath. Even worse, it’ll be too late to walk away.

To make sure that doesn’t happen, there are some essential factors you need to discuss before moving in. For the most part, these are financial. To make sure money doesn’t tear you apart, be sure to ask your partner these financial questions before you move.

The chances are that your finances have been pretty separate until now. You might not have any real idea of how much your partner has to play with. But, this is something you need to know if you’re moving in together. How much they can afford dictates the properties you can consider. If you feel awkward asking straight out, don’t. Just ask how much rent they think they can manage, and be honest about what you can afford too. How is their credit rating?Again, credit ratings are difficult to discuss. This has probably never come up in your relationship, but now is the time. If you’re applying for a rental or a mortgage, your success depends upon decent credit scores. That’s why you need to know if your partner has any issues in this department. It’s better to get these out in the open now than when you fail a check. That way, you can direct them towards resources like this Self Lender review to help build their rating fast. Options like these provide the chance to loan money from yourself. They could see your partner passing credit checks in no time. But, you can’t use them if you don’t ask the question!Are they willing to split the bills?This may seem like an obvious point, but don’t just assume you and your partner will split the bills. Instead, make sure that they would be willing to do this. Some couples settle for one person paying bills, and another paying rent, for example. But, that might complicate things in your first home. Your easiest option, then, is just to split everything down the middle. Make sure your partner is on board with that before ending with an unexpected financial burden which could snap the back of your romance.

Far too many people stay in bad relationships that end up affecting their mental health and ruining their chances in life. If you’re in one of those relationships at the moment; it is essential that you do something about it as soon as possible. Lots of women feel like they’re stuck, and so the information on this page should come in handy. The article explains why you need to get out of the relationship, and it also offers some advice on the methods and strategies you might like to consider. With that in mind, let’s get started!

Why you need to get out of your bad relationship

Confidence

People in adverse or negative relationships will always suffer a lack of confidence that can affect their lives in many different ways. You might never apply for that dream job, and you might never fulfill your ambitions of launching a company or volunteering and traveling the world.

Happiness

As mentioned a moment ago, bad relationships can affect your mental health and leave you feeling depressed or anxious. Unless you want to visit a therapist every week and take medication for the rest of your life; it is imperative that you remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible.

Opportunities

Being in a bad relationship can mean you never take up the opportunities available because you worry about their effect on your partner. That can mean you miss out on a lot of things that could change your life for the better.

How you should get out of your bad relationship

Stay with friends

You might feel like there is no hope and nowhere to go. However, most of us have understanding friends who will help out when we need them most. So, maybe you could go and stay with someone you know for a few weeks to get your head straight?

Accept a new job

Getting yourself out of your routine and putting yourself in a position to meet lots of new people is always a sensible move. Maybe you could accept a new job in a different city or something similar? Use that as an excuse to end the relationship and start over.

Get a divorce

If you made the mistake of marrying the wrong person; things could become a little more complicated. However, you just need to speak to a divorce lawyer and ask for their assistance. With a bit of luck, you can start the ball rolling in a matter of days, and you are sure to feel better straight away.

Now you know how and why you need to get out of your bad relationship; you should feel a little more confident in creating your plan of action. It could be good if you could sit down with the person, explain your problems, and iron them out. However, that isn’t always possible, and so sometimes you have to put yourself first. Whatever happens, ensure you make improvements in your life and avoid getting into relationships with the wrong people in the future.

Taking on your first mortgage will be the greatest financial decision of your life, and will have an impact on your finances for a long time to come. Before you decide to leave the nest or your rented accommodation, you need to make sure you are aware of the commitments and responsibilities that come with getting on the property ladder. While you will be able to build long term assets, a part of your income will be tied up for decades. To help you make the right decision, we have provided a few tips below.

Once you start thinking about getting your own place, you have to research the areas you can afford. There is no point stretching beyond your means, or you will end up getting yourself into trouble. Be realistic about your location. You cannot move in to a 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom mansion, unless you have a higher executive salary. Start small and make sure you can afford the repayments. Use an online mortgage calculator to get an estimate of the cost of getting a house on a loan.

2. Get Your Finances in Shape

Whether you are living in a rental property or with your parents, you need to make sure that you don’t have too much outstanding debt. Check out your consolidation options and find the right way of managing your credit. You will be more likely to get accepted for a mortgage if you only have one credit account, instead of debt all over the place on credit cards and car finance.

3. Check Your Credit Rating and Compare Rates

Before you would make an application and start planning your move, looking for properties, you must be sure that you are considered creditworthy by banks. The main indicator of whether or not you will be accepted for a mortgage is your credit score. Check it and find ways of improving it. If you live with your parents and are planning on leaving the nest, chances are you have little or no credit history. It might be worth to consider applying for a credit card and making a few payments to build up your score before thinking about mortgages.

You need to be realistic about what you can afford and maintain. Find out exactly how much it will cost you to maintain the property and pay the bills. There are several calculators online that will give you the estimated running cost of the property you have your eyes on. This way, you can budget better and will not stretch yourself too far.

5. Get a Stable Job

It is also important that you get a stable job before you apply for a mortgage. It will not only help you get a mortgage, but also give you a peace of mind that you can make the repayments.

Before you could jump on the property ladder, you need to make sure that your finances are in order, and you can afford to make the repayments for the next few decades.

This year I will be 30 years old, and I think it is high time I settle down, get married, have a family of my own. I have been seeing the same man for just over a year and I think we are old enough to take our relationship to the next level, since we both share the same goal of having kids. I will propose to him this summer. Although he is not the man I thought I’d be with, he has proven to be loyal and committed. He doesn’t have a good job, but maybe that will change if we get more serious. He says he cares about me but he is not passionate around me. When I tell him my worries or ask for help, he doesn’t do much about them. He doesn’t mistreat me and that is to me, very important. I have been in lots of long relationships but never found someone who wants to have a family with me. Should I risk it all and propose? My friends are not being supportive.

Hard-Headed

—————–—————–

Dear Hard-Headed,

Just like you, I have not been very lucky with all things love and relationships. I have had 3 major relationships, but they all turned to dust after around 3 to 4 years. I spent months wondering what I have been doing wrong, and what could I have possibly done so bad in my life to deserve this; but I have not yet found an answer. So every time, I pulled myself together, and tried again. I’m 28 years old, and I must admit that I am not where I thought I’d me in my love life. But that does not mean that I’d jump the gun as soon as I hear someone saying that they want to get married and have kids. It is currently one of the goals I want to reach, but is he the ideal partner to do it with?

Are you ready to live a life with no passion and no public affection? Have you even thought how this would affect your future children? And he does mistreat you, if he doesn’t listen to you, if he doesn’t help you…. If he doesn’t try to cheer you up when you are down! It is not the words that make up a man, it is his actions. If he doesn’t help you now, when it’s all about you two, how do you expect him to help you when there are little children running about? I wouldn’t call it a family, if there is no respect, no empathy, no affection and no support…

Being a lover of literature and romance, I consider myself to be a very old fashioned person when it comes to love and relationships. I would never settle for someone who doesn’t find time to make me feel special, and the occasional romantic surprise.

My girlfriend of 6 years has finally gotten what she wanted. I have been forced into buying a house with her as I am tired of her nagging; ‘we should get married’. Now I feel unhappy and our relationship is in a mess and it’s all her fault.

Sad but True

————-

Dear Sad but True,

Pressuring someone to get what you want is never a good idea. Forcing someone into doing things for you always has a price to pay. There is no easy way of saying this, but buying that house together was not a very bright decision. This is clearly putting a bigger strain on the future of your relationship. I think it is time to talk to each other, and perhaps talk to a counsellor to see if it is a relationship worth saving or if you should start anew. Buying a house with someone is a huge commitment, and you both do not seem to be at that stage, even if you have been together for 6 years. For a moment, think about yourself, and whether this is the life you want to lead. Imagine what the nagging might get you into next time round!
Remember, loving someone, being with someone and committing to someone should come natural, and with mutual agreement; not enforced.

My Articles by Date

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth. Not possible, as life changes a person, and we all grow... hopefully for the better. This is an online journal of my thoughts, my findings, and my lessons learned.